The Hey Baby Days: It Was Opening Night At The Beach Club

In a box of material that was given to us after the Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music exhibit was closed at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2007 was a CD that included photos of the opening night of the exhibit. About 70 different musicians representing 40 bands from the Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music were on hand to remember the good old days. Most of these musicians had not seen one another in 30 years or more. It was a special night and we wanted to share these found photos. Enjoy!

Director of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Lisa Love, reads proclamation from the City of Macon honoring the musicians of this very important genre and era

"No, I really can't sing, nor play an instrument, but what does talent have to do with it."

Nora and I with two great Caravelles: Tommie James and Cliff Meyers

Nora and I welcome musicians and others to the Beach club in Macon at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame

bottom: l-r Ben Bernard (Oxford Nights), Gene Lee ( Sensational Epics) top Johnny Cox (Swingin' Medallions), Don Baker ( Monzas) Ron Moody ( Centaurs ) and members of the Sleepless Nights (see photo below C. Leslie Vaughn and His Sleepless Nights )

Seated with white pants( Wilbur Walton,Jr.) Standing with cup (Paul Hornsby of the Five Men-its, Hourglass ) and in Crimson Tide colored polo, Jimmy Dean ( James Gang)

Wayne Scarbourgh ( King David & The Slaves) Greg And the late Russell Martin (KDS)

Kim Venable ( K-Otics) Joe Morris ( Swingin' Medallions) and Greg

A great line up of musicians from The Heeey Baby Days set to receive their complimentary copy of book

Stacy Sirmans ( New Bushmen) Tabby Crabb ( Strange Bedfellows) Denny Green ( Rubberband) John Bradley ( Dynamic Consouls) Tommie James( Second Nature, Caravelles, Duprees, et.)

South Georgia Connection: Larry Brown ( Tip Tops) the New Bushmen: John Bennett, Charles Whitley Sparky Smith , Stacy Sirmans, and the Strange Bedfellow's Tabby Crabb

Biggest turnout by one band were the Sleepless Nights of Knoxville, Tennessee Seven members of the band present including Senator Rusty Crow seated l-r standing Doug Cruey, Larry Cole,Jack ____; C. Leslie Vaughn (lead singer); ______ _____ and _____ ____.

Seated: Wayne Scarbourgh, standing _____ _____ _____ )______ Russell Martin (King David & The Slaves) Jack Bernard( The Oxford Nights) George Croft (Pallbearers) Richard Peterson (Mod VI)

Tommie James, Cliff Meyers ( Caravelles), Johnny Seabolt ( Pieces of Eight) Nora Marion, Dick Hilliard and Bill Pratt (Soul Set)

Drop Shot (Rufus Cromer of Liberation) Greg and Rodney Justo of the Candymen at Georgia Music Hall of Fame

The World's most loaded Beach Music Jukebox was available for those that visited to Museum

Beginning with Ben Bernard in navy blazer (Oxford Nights... I'm Such A Lonely One) and going in a counter clockwise direction) Fred Pugh ( Swingin' Medallions) Johnny Cox ( Swingin' Medallions) Kind Edward Martin (BD's) John McElrath (Swingin'Medallions) Hack Bartley (Swingin' Medallions) Greg, Dino Cecchi (King Edward & The BD's) and in the back where they seem most comfortable are drummers: Kim Venable ( K-Otics & Classics IV ) and Joe Morris, (Swingin' Medallions)

Rusty Cromer of the Rockin' Gibraltars appears incognito (Others Previously identified)

Writer publisher Andrea Powell joins Hack Bartley on stage. Read Andrea's recent article about the Medallions in the Greenville SC magazine

http://www.gvillemag.com/print/2745

Meanwhile at the keyboards, King Edward Martin and John McElrath discuss how the Medallions' M.Y.L. T.T. becomes a big hit in the U.K. for King Edward & The BD's

At the top: Fred Pugh looks on while K-Otic drummer , Kim Venable and Medallion Drummer Joe Morris discuss the important the opening drum roll to Double Shot of My Baby's Love.